Monday, December 28, 2009

But we now have a computer... and I'm ready to reconnect to the cyber world.

Our Christmas was fun this year. Albeit, we didn't go anywhere, and a few of us were either sick, or recovering from what we have dubbed "the sickness." But it was nice. Quietly enjoying the celebration of the birth of our Lord.

Soon I will have pictures up of our Christmas, and current sewing projects.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I am still computer-less. Join me on another computer rampage...Remeber my last rampage? About the process of buying a computer? Now here's my new one about replacing a computer...First, I called my insurance agent. Who told me to take it to a "computer place" and make sure it was ruined. (Because clearly, I am an idiot, and can't tell when my computer no longer functions at all...)The first place I take it wants $45 to look at it... not to fix it... to decide if it needs fixed. (Which, as I have already pointed out... I know it cannot be...) So I leave that place...

I find... perfect computer guy in cuba (that is cuba, ny; not cuba the country...) who will give me a free estimate and mail me a paper estimate to give to my insurance agent right away, so I don't even have to wait till I can manage to get back down to cuba... That was three weeks ago... And he has supposedly mailed me two estimates... wonder if when I get down there to pick up my dead laptop, if he'll tell me he mailed that too... seems likely doesn't it??

So now I am off to call my insurance agent, plead my case, and hopefully end up with a check in a few weeks in order to buy new computer...

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

So I got the news today.My laptop is officially dead.Good bye laptop.I left it plugged in during a lightning storm a week or two ago.Thus my non-existance on blogger.So I must claim it on my insurance and go insearch of a new computer.Sigh.

It's been a rough few weeks.

We also buried a fellow fireman on Monday. I didn't know him personally, but my husband and all my fellow firemen in the company did. (I haven't been a member long...) So for me, the saddest part was seeing the men who I consider to be some of the strongest guys ever, literally break down infront of me. It makes me consider... if something happens to my husband... will they be as strong as I would need them to be for me??? This fireman left behind a wife and toddler son... in case him dying in a tragic accident wasn't sad enough...

In other news...

My brother Tim is a Marine stationed over in California. He is waiting deployment to Afganistan sometime in September. He was bit by an awful dog in the K-9 unit this week.

Like I said...

It's been a rough week.

I have been sewing though...

Just no pix yet.

Anyways, you probably won't be hearing from me for another two weeks as I am headed off to work at a camp. I'm gunna be the camp nurse. Hopefully this will give me a reprieve and some distance to these last few weeks.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Yeah! Package number two arrived in the mail. I got some awesome fabrics, again! yeah! I particularly love the red one.

In other news... I have been sewing like a mad woman. I got the top done to my Old red barn quilt along. But I shouldn't say it's done, because I feel like it's missing something, I haven't decided yet.

I also started a project for my cousin, that I am hopefully going to complete by this weekend.

Oh yes, and my skirt. I've worn it twice already... there will definately be more of these in the future!

And as far as packages go, I can't help but brag: I helped deliver a baby in the back of an ambulance early Tuesday morning! I am an EMT with the local fire department, and I finally got the call I had been waiting for! It really was the most exciting thing. I felt bad for the mom though, I can't imagine what it's like to deliver in the back of an ambulance. Nope... that's definately not for me. I was in the hospital and highly drugged when I delivered both my boys. And as much as I try to buy organic and natural things for my children to eat, I will admit, "natural" child birth has no appeal to me whatsoever, and my children are born under the influence of drugs. That's just how it is. We all compromise somewhere don't we? =)

And my challenge:

I broke down day before yesterday. I had a bad day at the allergy center with my son. I drove an hour to get there, and then waited in the waiting room for an hour only for the doctor to ask me if my son had any promblems recently. Seriously?! So being as I was just down the street from a favorite shopping place of mine: Lexington Co-Op; I decided some shopping would make me feel better. So into the cart went these infractions: Boylan's Rootbeer (if you haven't had it, you haven't had real root beer); fresh Ciabatta bread; fair trade breakfast blend whole bean coffee 3/4lb; a freshly baked blueberry scone, chocolate chip cookie, and cherry chocolate cookie. Everything else I bought I feel were okay groceries and needed dry goods (fruit, wipes, etc.) *Sigh* But I'm back on the straight and narrow... I swear it!

I have learned a trick to keep me from buying fabric though: I shop online - put all sorts of stuff I want into my 'cart' and then I don't check out. I tell myself when my month is over, I will wean my carts and then purchase only what I truly and really need...want...need...want...

Friday, June 19, 2009

I got my first package from my fatquarter swap in the mail! It was so exciting!!! And it came from Australia! (My husband was actually impressed, saying how cool it was that someone from Australia sent me a package!) Yup, I know. It's cool. She sent me some sweet farm print fabric, a swatch of cute kaola fabric, and a candybar that Cadbury makes, but you can only get it in Australia and New Zealand. Interesting huh?? And so sweet. Although, sorry no picture of the candybar, it was gone to my boys before I got a chance to charge the camera and snap the shot!

Yesterday, my dear brother and cousin took my boys for a few hours, so that I could spend sometime with my friend Jordan sewing! I had recently bought the Barcelona skirt pattern from Amy Butler, and having never before made a piece of clothing to wear, I decided to call Jordan, (who according to me, is the go-to professional on anything that can be sewn... or drawn... or built...) So she took me step by step through the process of making the skirt. And it turned out sooo cute! I still have some finishing touches, so you are going to have to wait a wee bit for a picture.I think I will make some more, bravely altering the pattern and switching some fabrics... I really enjoyed it! Thanks Jordan! (I think thats two lunches I owe her now...)

What else? Hmmm... Oh yes, my challenge. I recently discovered Wolfgang Puck coffee. I am an admitted coffee snob. And so when I saw at the store coffee by Wolfgang Puck, I asked myself: "What could be better than that?" Well, the answer would have been, whole bean Wolfgang Puck coffee, since all I could find was ground. But, for ground coffee this tops all! IT IS AWESOME! Now, I ran out of my W.P. coffee this morning. And the sad part is, I have different kinds of coffee to use still at the house. So, I can't just go to the store and buy more W.P. coffee, becuase I feel that would be a breech of the challenge since I am not completely out of coffee here at the house. *Sigh* So if you are out, and evidently not taking part in this challenge with me, try some Wolfgang Puck coffee and let me know what you think. The kind I purchased was his columbian.

Well, I do think that's it. I am off today to purchase some father's day gifts. (No that is not a breech of the challenge! Fathers should receive gifts on fathers day! Honestly! I didn't swear off shopping altoghether!)

Here is the quilt I did for a fundraiser for the CYC. I machine pieced it, and just finished hand quilting it. I love the way it turned out.

And I've been reading alot. It's also been great.

I read the book: A Bride in the Bargain. It was great. (Yes, I am a hopeless romantic.)

And my monthly challenge has started, no extra putchases. It is going well. Perfect, in fact, since my husbands boss gave me a Tim Hortons gift card for my birthday, so I can still get my coffees... for a while!

Here are a few purchases I made before my time started:

Don't you just love that alphabet fabric!?! I am going to use it to back a

quilt - I think... I also thought it would look cute as little letter blocks... spelling

out something cute like a little boy's name or something. I guess that one

is going to have to sit and 'age' before I'm going to be ready to use it! =)

And don't lie - you are ::loving:: that argyle print... I know you are!

Friday, June 5, 2009

It started with a pizzelle maker that I bought a few weeks ago. It was a Cuisinart. My inlaws couldn't believe it! I apparently purchased the wrong kind of pizzelle maker. So they generously offered to get me the right kind of pizzelle maker. And it arrived in the mail a few days ago.

Yes! I some cookie orders due Saturday - excelent excuse to use the new press.

Unfortunately after several tries, this is what I had:

(Pictured is my Cuisinart pizzelle maker, that I plugged in after I got that pile of broken, sticking, burning pizzelles...)

Unfortunately as I soon found out... it wasn't the pizzelle maker, becuase my Cuisinart press (which I have successfully used several times) gave me the same results.

It was evidently a loose nut infront the maker!

After messing with several ideas, I finally added some more flour to the batter...

Batta-Bing! Success!

At the early hour of 10:30 pm!So now I just have to clean out the new press... and try again another day...

Thursday, June 4, 2009

So you go to oldnavyweekly.comYou click on the moving palmleaves behind the mannequin in thered flag shirt.A parrot starts flying accross the screen.You click on the parrots head.You get $75 off a $100 purchase.You must refresh the screen for more chances.I can't get the stupid parrot.Good luck!Let me know if you get it!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

So I made a half encouraging challenge for myself, which I half-heartily opened to all... now I will try and make it a real challenge, with a prize. So here it is:

The "No Extras for a Month" Challenge!

Rules:1. You must start between now and June 15th.2. To enter you must comment on this post by the 15th of June. Leave your name, email address, blog (if you have one), and when you are starting your challenge.3. The idea is this: no buying anything you don't need for one whole month. No extra coffees out, (trust me, this will be the most painful to me.) no 'but it was too great of a sale to pass it up', no 'but I could use it for something useful...' none of that stuff. No sewing supplies or fabric (The second most painful...) No extras. Period.4. If you crumble... you buy something that you realize you didn't need... you still will be entered to win! Because we are a forgiving blog!! And we are only human... but if you can't sleep at night because your conscience won't let you - maybe you should gift away whatever you purchased...5. All entries will be thrown into a hat and winner will be drawn and announced on July 18th.6. Take some time to realize the differences between wants and needs... and you will see how much you spend on things you really don't need.

The prize is...A $25 Old Navy gift card!!! Yeah!!!So get entered! And keep us posted on how you do!

(And if someone knows how to make a button or tag or something for this giveaway, and can explain in lay-mans terms how to do that... I would love to make one for you all to put on your blogs...)

Monday, June 1, 2009

They sell for $0.15 a pack. They pack enough salt to take care of your sodium intake for a month. And yet... I really do enjoy ramen noodles. My sons are sick today. And I knew I had a few stand by packs of old faithful. So I made Danny his first bowl of the not-even-close-to-holding-any-form-of-nutrition-soup. And he loved it. I cut his noodles up into little pieces, and figure - when he gets older, and I'm not so afraid of him choking, I will let him slurp up those rediculously long noodles - and he'll love it.

So today, on what is suppose to be day off, I am home with my sons, and being thankful for Ramen Noodles.

Also, I have discovered that I can make Starbucks shaken ice tea right in my own home. Thanks to the purchase of some Tupperware cups with sealing lids. They are awesome. Now, Julie, I ordered them from someone else before I knew you sold Tupperware. Anyways, they are wonderful, and if you want to buy some you should contact isk8jewel.blogspot.com

So I am also thankful for Tupperware cups.

Now to my new challenge for myself: I have decided I spend too much money, or more like: that I spend money that would better be put into savings. It's not alot. My husband works, I stay at home, we really don't have that flexible of a budget. But I am challenging myself to not purchase anything for myself, and nothing that my children and husband don't need for one month. We are going to start this on June 13th. (Why June thirteenth? Because my birthday is the 12th, and I know Nick is going to get me something, and I also know I am going to have to get a few more articles of clothing before then.) But starting June 13th, I will purchase nothing for myself: no sewing supplies, no extra coffees while I am out, no clothes, no quilting magazines, nothing. Nada. Zero items. I am also going to track my spending by keeping a notebook with me and writing down each and every purchase. (You are thinking: don't you do that in your checkbook? The answer is no. I usually write like this: Walmart, lunch, coffee, gas 125.00) I know... lazy. And shocking for someone who is an accountant for a non profit group. Ehhh... what can I say?

But my guess is, by July 12th, I am not going to feel deprived or that I missed out on anything. And perhaps I will try my challenge again for a longer period of time. So... I will be keeping you updated on my challenge in the coming weeks.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

After a few weeks of foster children and being unable to grab any time to sew, I finally have some quilting to show you!! Yeah!!

I joined a quilt along from oldredbarnco.blogspot.com I mean, whats one more project to crowd my table right?? The first picture is the fabric I am going to use for the quilt along.

The second picture is of the quilt I have started for my brother Tim in the Marines. I think I managed to pick out somewhat manly fabrics. Coincidentally, I think the pattern for the quilt along is much the same as the one I'm using for Tims. Ah well.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

This week with all the changes, I have been brought back to the heart of my savior. I have returned again to questions that I haven't asked in a longtime. Especially the "Why God?" question. I have again had such a realization that the systems in this world, our way of doing things, our governments, our plans... are always failing. And will always fail us. And it pushed my towards my God even more, to confess that "Yes God. In the past year I have drifted from you, from trusting you to trusting institutions, other people, and even leaning on my own strength and wisdom." (Which with all the mistakes I have made in the past from relying on myself, I can never figure out how I keep making that mistake.) Even as my amazing husband has been discovering an amazing relationship with God, I have been lax in my relationship with the Most High. It is humbling me to write this, about me, my failures, and my faith. It has always been hard to speak openly about my faith. I have led campers, been an evening speaker, and taught classes on my faith and experiences, but always within a safe environment of camp or church. Never to a host of people and friends who do not know my God, or the way I feel about God. That doesn't make me a strong Christian - knowing that some of the people I hang out with the most don't know that I am a follower of the Most High God. A lot of people know my political and moral views, but not my faith.

I think last night spurred me into writing all this on my blog... I had a dream last night about a man, and it wasn't my husband. And I couldn't believe it! Never ever have I dreamed about loving someone other than my husband. And the dream wasn't awful, I was just hanging out and going places and evidently being in love with someone else. I was appauled that anything like that could enter my mind, even in my sleep. I couldn't shake the dream even when I woke up, and it is still with me now. And that dream made me realize, I have to refocus myself. I have to look again to my Lord, to guide me and to again become My Magnificent Obsession. "Magnificent Obsession" is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman, and I have been listening to it alot today. For my mind, even in sleep, to think of being in love with someone other than Nick, really scares me. It makes me think I am treading on dangerous ground. Especially since my husband has become such an amazing Christian, and is and has always been extemely loving and devoted to me, much more than I deserve. Dreaming that dream shakes me to my core...

So I leave you with this: a song that really defines where I am by Casting Crowns "Somewhere in the Middle"So I have posted some of the lyrics to that song:

"Somewhere between the wrong and the rightSomewhere between the darkness and the lightSomewhere between who I was and who You're making meSomewhere in the middle you'll find me.

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, wreckless abandon wrapped in common sense,Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middleWith eyes wide open to the differences: the God we want and the God who is,But will we trade our dreams for His, or are we caught in the middle?

Somewhere between a whisper and a roarSomewhere between the altar and the doorSomewhere between contented peace and always wanting moreSomewhere in the middle you'll find me."

So that's my confession today... I am a Christian, just a weak one...Does this change the kind of person or who I am in your eyes??I am looking forward to your comments.

Friday, May 22, 2009

It was an interesting scenario, the judge quickly read through the paperwork before trial and basically mixed up what the mom was doing with what the 12 yr old daughter was doing. So the fact that the daughter was allowed to have a 28 yr old boyfriend spend the nite... etc, that stuff was all about the mom. (Which indeed, is none of our business who the mom dates and when he spends the nite...) anyways, incase I'm confusing you... the kids should never have been placed in foster care, and the mistake was corrected and they are back home with their mom. This is the flawed system we deal with... judges who don't prepare for cases, judges who make decisions with out reasoning, a foster system who pulls children from home, gives them no answers, traumatizes them for three days, and then sends them back home. Leaving both mother and children angry confused and scarred. The best part is last nite at the "foster parent appreciation dinner" all of cps was laughing at the mistake, that somehow I didn't seem to find amusing at all. Not to mention, all the rearranging Nick and I did of our home, our hearts, and our summer...

Thursday, May 21, 2009

I haven't been doing much sewing recently. I am busy with my two children, and two other children that will be staying with me for an undetermined amount of time. It is amazing how busy things get when in a matter of 6 months you add three children to the household. Craziness.

But, I do have lots of sewing planned... I want to make a new bed spread/quilt for the girl who is staying with us, and then I want to make a quilt for my brother Tim. So hopefully very soon, I will have some wips (work in progress) to show you.

Blake's quilt will be backed and put together hopefully next week. I am not planning any sewing for this weekend due to the fact that the two children staying with us have both Friday and Monday off - it's just going to be too busy.

Thanks for following along, as I go through this crazy ride we call life...

Sunday, May 17, 2009

So I finished the top of baby Blake's quilt. I did add the other two sides of the sheep fabric border. And I appliqued a sheep in the middle. I really like this quilt. If I hadn't already said it was for Blake- I would be tempted to keep it for my little one. What do you think of the sheep in the middle? I was wishy-washy about him for a while. But I think he makes the quilt.

And then my cute son Danny - who celebrates his second birthday tomorrow, helped release a baby bunny that our cat brought inside. Here's a cute picture of that:

Saturday, May 16, 2009

My brother Jeff graduated from Brockport today. I enjoyed watching the ceremony. I was so proud of him. He is two years younger than I am, and yet he teaches me alot. He is level headed, doesn't get into trouble, and when he is home- he is always helping out. He's a great brother. He was in my wedding, too. I'm excited to see what he does - if he goes for his masters, where he is going to work - where he is going to settle down. It makes me sad to think that it is unlikely that he will stay around here in NY. I hope he does. My brother Shawn is in PA, and my brother Tim is in the Marines and currently in CA. I don't want Jeff to move far, I want him to stay. So Jeff, if you are reading this - I want you to succeed, and follow your dreams, but I will miss you if those things take you far away! Thanks for being an awesome brother - lets always look out for each other, k?

So, I am really slow at figuring out this blogging stuff. I'm still not sure how to link things... or change my background to something cool like smalltowngirlinwny.blogspot.com... So if you can help me - leave a comment or email me at bethscookieconfections@yahoo.com! Thanks for your help. Hey- lookee there, my email turned blue all on its own! (I know you are laughing at me! Don't laugh!) I'm in the computer idiot three step program: First: admit you are a computer idiot. Second: Admit you are just trying to stay "in" and "cool" despite the fact that you know you are turning into your mother (who knows even less about computers than you do). Three: Ask for help: to be able to navigate the computer world and to learn how to stay cool and escape the scary mother syndrome.

Ahem, anyways... I only really am making this post to get entered into a contest to win a tote! Thankyou for pointing it out isk8jewel! So... here's my shout out:

Over at justanotherhangup.blogspot.com, there are some wonderful amazing totes! And she is giving one away! And even if you don't win, she has a coole etsy shop where you can get one! Awesome huh?

Thursday, May 14, 2009

I have started a baby quilt for my friend Allison's newborn - Blake. I am using my alltime favorite childrens fabric - Homestead. It has cute little sheep all over it! And I seem to prefer darker colors like the drk blue back ground. I just like everything about it. Check it out:

So, you have to be a special little baby to get a quilt with my favorite fabric in it! I really like to hoard it! But it doesn't keep anyone warm sitting on a shelf!

Here is the quilt top. Its made out of 4 log cabin squares:

The picture showing the blocks is a little uneven, but they are cute blocks. So I put the four blocks together, and put the sheep all on the inside so I could use more sheep fabric as the border. I got two of the border strips on and I'm not sure if I want to put on the other two strips to make it go all the way around. I think it looks kinda cute the way it is. What do you think? Leave it, or make the border go all the way around? Now I just have to decide how I want to quilt it... something boyish. Maybe little dragonflies all over it? I love the idea that Amanda Jean thought up over at crazymomquilts.blogspot.com - she hid a quilted heart in the quilting of each of her boy's new quilts. We shall see...

Sunday, May 10, 2009

I love Mothers Day. I feel like it was a day given to me to cherish, and relish, and enjoy my children. Yes, it was a good day today.I am driven to think of inspirational moms in my life, including my very own. Who do so much, they are completely amazing and help me to want to do more.Proverbs 31 talks about a virtuous woman who is worth more than rubies. It talks about how this woman works late and gets up early, buys and sells, makes profits, makes her husband proud... and it says her children rise up and sing her praises. Wow. What a challenge to me! Am I a good enough mom that my children will tell people what a great mom I am? It definately makes me want to put more effort in... to watch my tongue, to be more patient, to be more loving.

So... in other news...Mondays are my day off from children. I take my two sons, and my two brothers that I watch during the week to a babysitters house. Then I do what I need to: shop, bank, clean house, visit with friends. Whatever. But from 9-5, it's my time. Tomorrow I have a meeting with a fundraising comittee for a non-profit group that I do accounting for. Then, after grabbing some weekly groceries I plan on tackling an infestation in my house: stacks. I have stacks everywhere... of mail, coupons, books, photos, papers... stuff. It really is getting rediculous. I am pretty sure when I turn the lights off in any given room that those stacks even get together and multiply... those dirty naughty stacks. And I am ready to sort and throw away and put away. It's hard to take care of stacks when the kids are around. The kids like to interrupt the progress... then all I end up with is a stack that is all spread out wherever I am doing my sorting. Then no doubt... my husband is sure to walk in and drop stuff and add to the spread out papers creating... you got it... lots of baby stacks. Unbeliveable! So it is time...

This spring is going to be a time of change in my house... what I have let go I am taking back and taking charge of again... neatness and control shall reign... I hope!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Ahhh, well. Here we are. I haven't posted in a while, I know. If you are on my facebook page, you know, I am on my third computer in a month. I usually don't condemn retailers in public, but this I feel, is necessary. I will never ever buy anything from Best Buy ever again. They are unreal! Here's the story: I went to Best Buy to get the 'best buy' on a computer. After talking to one of there sales associates for a while about what I wanted this computer for, he advised me to purchase computer 'a'. I brought computer 'a' home, tried uploading my accounting program on it... no dice. Infact, my friend Linda, who is transferring the CYC accounting over to me, and is a whiz with computers, worked on it for hours, couldn't figure it out. So we took it into the Geek Squad at Best Buy. Where we soon found out, that they have no idea what they are doing! The particular geek working on my computer pulled up an error code on it. He said: That's a virus. Linda countered and said: There is no virus on this computer. The geek proceeded to go into the back of the store, hang out for a while, come back to the counter and tell us that he looked it up and it was definitely a virus. At this point we had been at Best Buy for 4 hrs. Linda decided we should take it and leave, and bring it to some computer folks in EA who knew what they were doing. So she did. And those wonderful people had it for a few days, looked up the error code, which *shocker* wasn't a virus at all, and told us: Its something with the processor and/or vista. So we took it back to Best Buy and exchanged it for a new better, more expensive computer: computer 'b'. I get the computer home, we do get the accounting system on it, but after just a little bit, my mouse starts going crazy. It would all of a sudden get 'stuck' on a spot on the page and run itself up and down the page until it got tired of doing so. It would also all of a sudden decide to jump two inches to the left or right or up or down randomly. So after days of messing with it, I phoned Best Buy. They tell me: You should buy a regular cordless mouse. (Needless to say, I was on the phone with a not so bright geek.) I responded: So my brand new computer isn't going to work the way its suppose to, so I have to buy a part that I don't want for it?! (Not-so-bright geek transfers me to complete-idiot geek) Complete-idiot geek tells me: You need to go online and do the microsoft update for your driver.Yes, stupid me, updates... so knowing my computer had all the updates, I went online anyways and checked... and indeed... no new updates for my computer, much less for my driver. (whatever that is...)So... back to Best Buy I go... over to the Geek Squad hang out... they took one look at what my mouse was doing and said I had a bad touch pad and needed to exchange it for a new computer. So I brought home my third computer. Set up my third computer. Made sure it worked. Then went online, and called Best Buy public relations. Unfortunately, between when I left Best Buy in Hamburg, and when I called the public relations department, I am pretty sure that complete-idiot geek put in for a transfer and was now working for public relations. Our conversation went somewhat like this:Me: I was at Best Buy three times, and I am on computer number three because you sales people don't know what they are selling, and your geeks don't know a computer from a book.Complete Idiot: You've owned 8 of our computers? You've read about us in books? You are an awesome customer!Me: ?!?!?(It went on like that for at least 10 min.)

Friday, May 1, 2009

So, finally back online. Had to trade in disfunctional computer that I only had for 3wks, for new better computer. So now I can officially do some accounting with the Peachtree accounting system on my computer. Unfortunately, I don't understand all of what I'm doing... but thanks to my finance accountant mentor Linda... I should do fine. I think.

So, I finished my blue and yellow baby quilt, and it's a good thing it's leaving my house because I'm not in the least bit thrilled with it. The only thing I like is the backing fabric, which I must get more of because it is so darn cute! But the stippling looks awful, the tension was off, I quilted in a blue thread which was a huge mistake... yada yada. But I will do more, and get used to working with this machine.

Can you see the cute little polka dots on the backing? Aren't they awesome!!!

And as far as redoing my white couch... not a chance! I'm just going to save up and pay someone else. Its just too much. And I have no where to tear it apart and put it back together. So now a lovely white sheet covers my three bottom cushions, and that will have to do for now!!

My laundry room is just about put together. My husband really wants to keep the "spare bed" up, an idea which I hate since in the four years we've been married, not one person has used it. I think for as few times as someone might be inclined to spend the nite, they can handle the couch. (Which in my expert opinion is much more comfy than the bed.) But I am using and highly enjoying my giant folding table... now for some shelving... getting rid of the changing table... moving out ugly dresser... like I said... almost there.

And tonite is the glorious nite in which we are moving my Ben into his crib in Danny's room. Yeah!!! I don't think it will go well, but a few nites and he'll get used to it.

Well, thats just about it. I'm off to finish handquilting the quilt for the CYC. Some relaxing time...

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Ahhh, yes. One lovely glass of white zin. Great way to start the afternoon. Of coarse it's sitting on one of my next projects- refinishing my solid wood table. But warmer weather must come so I can do it out on my porch. Yes, it was going to be a good day. But wait... did I plan for a relaxing afternoon of sewing? And is it not true that my children were given to me to ruin the entire idea of planning anything? My children look at me and think to themselves: "She has plans, she might get something accomplished! We must stop her!"

Enter: Emma. My darling sister. Who is being taught how to drive by my wonderful husband. She lovingly brings home a md. mocha from Tim Hortons for her wonderful sister. Now, unfortunately, she has no idea that she has just become the catalyst my children need to ruin my afternoon... and whole week, as we shall soon see. Now: feast your eyes upon my Tim Hortons Mocha:

Yup, that is a seat cushion to my white Victorian style couch. The mocha actually managed to hit two cushions and splatter the back, armrest and front of the couch as well. Danny never does anything half way. *Sigh* I'm not sure if its going to come out. I will spend my week trying, and imbetween tries, I will have to google how to reapholster couches. Yikes! That be a new thing! So, no visits to the sewing machine today. Oh yeah, and just to top it off one of my sweet furry creatures peed in my house. That furry creature is on its last straw!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

So here it is folks! The long awaited baby lock! I know, doesn't look like much. But I can tell you after running it once, I love it more than my singer already! I'm really excited to start quilting on it.

So last night, after picking it up, I waited till my kiddos were sleeping, and decided to work on a quilt for a friend that I had all cut out and ready to go.

But as much as I tried to lay these blocks out so that they looked cute, I couldn't do it. I stared at it forever! Now, it was getting late, my contacts getting dry, so I had no choice but to go choose different material to work on. After a few trips upstairs and back down without waking the sleeping monsters, I managed to decide to work on this next photo:

Now, this I decided on because I have been wanting to make some quilts for a local hospital, and figured it would give me practice on my machine and it was going for a good cause. I don't have my 1/4" foot for the machine yet, so I was playing with that. I'm still scant I think, but it will still workout. They are just squares, not a huge deal.

So, kids are napping now, I'm off to work on it some more, planning on trying some freemotion on it tonite if I get this top done!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

I haven't been doing any sewing lately. Sad but true. I sold my Singer machine to my m.i.l. a few weeks ago, and just got around to ordering a new machine. I decided on a Baby Lock Crafters Choice. There are a few reasons for this. I like the Baby Lock machines, I tried a few, know some great quilters who have them... Lets just say I did my research. I really wanted the Baby Lock Quest, but my budget said: "Don't you dare take money out of the savings!" So, I bought one of the less expensive models and started a fund for the Quest. =) So the plan is to sew with this one for a while and then upgrade. What will I do with the Crafters Choice once I buy my Quest? Save it for when I have my little girl someday and teach her how to sew on it!

So I will just post cute pix of my little boys in quilts that I already have done. Isn't this little man sooo cute?!

Friday, February 6, 2009

I really enjoy my "stay at home" job. I have a small cookie business that I run, and two young boys, one who is 21 months, and one who is 2 months old. I'm also a foster mom, and I enjoy that too. My passion is quilting (and cookies!) but quilting is my "just for fun" stuff. So this blog is going to be about all that surrounds those things!